Gloria Marie Harrison

Dr. Gloria Marie Harrison transitioned from her body and went into the light on March 20th, 2023, at the age of 75. Gloria (Dr. Glo) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease several years ago. She was heard to say, “Parkinson’s is my greatest teacher in life. It has taught me humility, compassion, nonjudgement, acceptance and letting go, love of self and others and the power of choice in life and in death.” Dr. Glo chose Death with Dignity, because she wanted to have a good death. And she did; dying peacefully in her home in the care of Hospice surrounded by the love of family and friends.

Gloria is survived by her daughter Janna Cavanaugh (RJ), stepdaughter Kerri Alvis (John), sister Judy Harrison, and chosen sister Sue Harrison (Bruce), stepson Brad (Margie) and stepdaughter Laura (PJ). She is also survived by granddaughters: Jordan, Rachel, Meghan and step-grandchildren: Ryan, Carolyn, Brian, and John. She was predeceased by beloved husband and partner Hamilton Hayes, parents Percy and Hilda Harrison, brother Donald and Sister Lynda.

Born March 29, 1947, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she grew up with the Canadian Rockies as her playground, creating a lifelong resonance with mountains. The love of the outdoors and the mountains was forever in her soul. After graduating from Queen Elizabeth High School, she explored and worked at various jobs. She did not choose college at that time, but even in her late teens she knew she wanted to be a psychologist.

Gloria moved to the U.S. in 1982 with her husband, daughter and stepdaughter, and resided in Austin, Texas. At age 35, the timing was right, and she seized the opportunity to go to college to receive her college degree in psychology, graduating from the University of Texas, Austin. She then moved to Louisville, Kentucky to complete her doctoral work in psychology at Spalding University, receiving her Doctorate in 1999. Always a scientist as well as a spiritual seeker, her dissertation work focused on bridging the gap between the two. Narrowing that gap became a lifelong passion and guided her life, leading her to many spiritual adventures. Moving to Bellingham, Washington, where she completed a post-doc at Community Mental Health in Mount Vernon, she established a private practice in Bellingham in 2000, practicing as a therapist until her retirement in 2014.

In 1992, Gloria met the man who would become her life partner and the love of her life, Hamilton Hayes. They married in 2002 and spent the next 20 years sailing the Salish Seas and traveling the world. Dedicated to a path of service to humanity, together they built a school in Cambodia and worked with the indigenous population of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Martas in Colombia, helping with their education projects. In later years, their shared mission was to create a connected, compassionate community where they lived; a community that embraced love, compassion, non-judgement, acceptance, and always taking the high road – values that informed their lives. His untimely death in October of 2022 brought their work together to an end. Throughout her later years, she loved being a grandmother to three beautiful granddaughters. “Gigi” never missed a birthday until their teen years. Kind, thoughtful and non-judgmental, they are three powerful young women who will help to change the world.

Gloria experienced a spiritual awakening in her teen years and spent a good part of her adult life exploring what that meant to her; looking for her truth. She resonated deeply with the principles of A Course in Miracles and later A Course of Love. Those principles guided her life and her practice as a therapist. Her purpose and mission in life eventually revealed itself to her; to be a reflection of the divine through deep listening and being fully present for others. To help others find their purpose and their divine self became the mission and intention of her practice. Those who knew her have described her as a person who moved through life with grace: a wise woman, kind, and humble. “Her precious spark allowed all of us to express our innermost thoughts; reveling in her responses. It hit the mark exactly. Her light shone on all of us, lifting us up with warmth and genuine affection.” Dr. Glo, your wisdom and grace will be missed.